For those accustom to living in rural America it comes as no surprise that volunteer efforts and good’ol fashioned neighborliness are what keeps small communities thriving and prospering. It is generosity that serves as the backbone of many improvement projects that simply couldn’t move forward without those in-kind and monetary contributions not given a line-item in any departmental budget.
In recognizing this, two major oil and gas companies and four service companies have joined together to form a fledging task force dedicated to giving back to the local communities they are now an integral part of.
In an effort to become good members of the community, together they have created Energy Outreach, a program which got underway four months ago that is gaining momentum with future projects planned.
Already it has successfully carried out giving donations to a number of projects within the towns where the Bakken oil boom is taking place.
“With everything this area has been experiencing with the development and growth, we wanted to give something back to the area. We want to contribute positively to the communities that have done so much for us,” said Kelley Rankin, Communications and Facility Coordinator for Statoil and Program Coordinator for Energy Outreach.
The task force is comprised of one member from each company and includes representation from Statoil, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Neighbors, Oasis and Schlumberger. Task force members meet and take suggestions from the public as well as come up with ideas internally before taking it to their board, also consisting of one member from each company. “It works out nice because the task force is made of people living in the area who can see and also suggest needs while the board is made of members who don’t live locally and can make a more objective decision when looking at all of the potential projects we want to take on,” Rankin said.
The goals of the program are threefold. First, Energy Outreach wants to offer financial support for community projects that have funding gaps. Second, they want to initiate and engage in volunteer programs through beautification efforts and cleanup. Third, they want to serve the community by sitting on local boards. “We recognize our employees come from many different backgrounds such as nursing, fire and law enforcement and they have expertise in areas that can enhance the community through their volunteer efforts,” Rankin said.
In the early months of the task force members met to discuss possible projects to take on within the community. But now, they receive emails and suggestions from people in the area.
To date, some of their projects have included donating $60,000 to School District 8, in Williston, for playground equipment for schools, donating $10,000 to the volunteer fire department in Froid, Mont, for the purchase of an additional firefighting truck and $12,000 to make two wishes come true for two youth through the local Make a Wish Foundation.
The swings, slides and Gymboree equipment given to School District 8 will be installed at Garden Valley Elementary where equipment is outdates and at Round Prairie where there is currently no playground equipment. “We are so thankful Energy Outreach came to our rescue and donated. It is absolutely wonderful. We have a stack of thank-you cards that need to be mailed,” said Fran Swensgard, Superintendent.
The Froid Volunteer Fire Department said the recently purchased 3,200 gallon tactical tender truck fills a huge void in their department. “In the past we have always had to rely on our mutual aid agreement with Bainville for the use of their tender truck when it was needed. This truck will help in our fire suppression capabilities by providing adequate water supply,” said Dave Clark, Fire Chief of Froid. The donation came about after one of the firemen who also is employed by Oasis mentioned the need to Energy Outreach.
There are currently 20 volunteer firefighters who responded to 32 fires last year.
While the timeline for getting projects started was slow in the beginning, as more people become aware of the task force and its goals, Rankin said more money will be given to projects geared toward improving the quality of life for residents.
“We make Williston our home. This is where we have chosen to live and raise our children. It’s important to us that people know we aren’t just here to take, but to give back to the community as well,” she said.
For more information or to make a project request, email [email protected].
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